Day out in South Wales // Techniquest

Most of our trip to South Wales was spent outdoors exploring the Brecon Beacons and Gower Peninsula and I came away with a real sense of the beauty that the country has to offer.  We were keen to get to Cardiff for a day though to see another side of Wales and booked in a session at Techniquest, the city's science museum.

My children are not usually museum children, they like to explore at their own paces and they just want to touch everything, but I had only heard good things about Techniquest and it was the perfect kind of museum for them, one where they don't even realise they are learning anything. 

The whole experience is hands-on and experimental and the space is set out so that older children can explore a little more independently.  There are two floors, linked by both stairs and a slide and each one has separate areas looking at different aspects of science.  The museum was easy to find with plenty of parking nearby and the floor to ceiling windows made it bright and light.  It is situated next to the Mermaid Quay and plenty of lovely places to eat.

Due to covid measures, time slots had to be booked, but we had three hours which was plenty to see the whole museum and go back to favourite activities.  Everything was well spaced out and even though the session was fully booked, it was easy to stay socially distanced.  There were lots of hand sanitiser stations and adults were required to wear masks.  There were a couple of shows available for a small additional fee but we decided not to book in advance for those and unfortunately they were fully booked on the day. I would highly recommend the experience for primary school aged children, all four of mine (aged 5-10) thought it was incredible and a wonderful start to our day exploring the city of Cardiff.

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Days out in Kent // Bedgebury Pinetum

 For the second year running, I have taken the big two on a long weekend camping with a group of friends at Bedgebury Campsite.  It is a highlight of our year and after lockdowns and restrictions, it feels wonderful to set them loose in the woodlands and get so much fresh air.  We stayed an extra day this year which meant we went exploring at Bedgebury Pinetum, a forest we had all heard of as it is famous for it's Christmas lights.

It was a five minute drive from the campsite along one country road and parking was £14 per car, with no additional entrance fees (slightly cheaper on a weekday).  The adults wanted to go for beautiful country walks and the children were keen to find the play areas but we managed to fit in both.

The forest has set running trails, cycle trails and walking routes so there is something for everyone.  The running routes are set out with distances and there was on site cycle hire facilities as well as the option to bring your own.  We went for a beautiful walk which took us deeper into the forest which was well maintained.  We found a mini fern garden where we could explore miniature versions of the varieties of the trees and the Gruffalo trail where you can spot your favourite creatures including a huge Gruffalo (probably more of a highlight for me than the children now they are 8 and 9, I still know the book off by heart!).

After we had had fun exploring the walking trails, we went to find the playground.  The main playground is set with a wooden ship as well as other equipment and a table tennis area too.  There is a Go Ape next door which sadly we didn't get to experience but it looked great fun.  Leading off from the playground was an adventure playground trail which combines a forest walk with several different playgrounds, all designed differently.  Around the forest there were dens and other interesting creations for the children and mine could have spent most of the day exploring them all.  The giant log swing was a big favourite and sadly the huge spiders web climbing area wasn't something we managed to play on (the rain beat us by that point.

There is a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating which sits next to a lovely lake with ducks.  They did a variety of hot and cold food including vegan and vegetarian meals and we loved trying out the cakes too.  If you didn't want to buy food then you could of course being a picnic.

We loved our visit to Bedgebury Pinetum and would recommend it for families of all types.  My children are not confident with dogs and we loved how the place was designed with children in mind as well as dogs.  Dogs have to be kept on a lead and there are dog parking stations by many tables and benches.  The toilets all had smaller children seats and lower sinks and my nervous of dog children felt very comfortable there.  

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Days Out on the Isle Of Wight // Robin Hill

We have been to the Isle of Wight a few times with the children and always visited Blackgang Chine but this was our first visit to the sister park, Robin Hill and it was a huge hit with all of us. With a little bit of everything and a whole lot of space, this is a wonderful way to spend a day and even with rain nearly all day, we could access most of the attractions.  Sadly the slides and toboggan run which looked brilliant fun were shut, but the rest of the park was open, and the rain meant it wasn't too busy!

If you do decide to visit on a wet day, then I would strongly advise waterproof trousers for the children as the park is full of activities that they can use their whole body for and my kids were keen to get stuck in straight away.

The first attraction we found was actually a 4d cinema simulator experience which the three boys loved and did twice (there are a few different versions so it is easy to revisit.  Due to Covid there were no 3d glasses but the seating was well cleaned and masks were compulsory for all ages.  Cora was too short to be allowed on but there is a playground next door if families need to split for this.

We walked further into the woodland next and found our favourite bit, Jungle Heights.  A mini obstacle course in the trees that feels safe and secure and that my middle two boys (aged 5 and 7) could have done over and over for most of the day given the chance.  As it was made mostly of netting, the rain didn't affect it.  Nearby was a squirrel tower playzone which was a bit more adventurous.

As we continued walking through the woodland we came across a little construction area with diggers to play on which the younger ones really enjoyed,  Over the half term, Robin Hill was running a series of 'Autumn Nights' events with a later closing time, light walks and live music and we had visited on one of these days, although we sadly missed the evening entertainment as we had arrived at the park at 10am and by 5pm we were all pretty tired!  It did mean that there were lights hanging in the trees though and as it was a dark day, they were already on, making the woodland feel even more magical.

Whichever direction we went in, there was so much to discover.  We wanted to stop for food and could see a few places selling lunch in the park but none had a seating area in use.  There was a main cafe near the front entrance though which was shut for food but available for indoor seating so we grabbed a seat in there.  Once we were refuelled, we went in search of more ways to get muddy and found a play area near the pizza place which had a lake you could cross on bouncy bridges.  The kids loved the assualt course play area and running and jumping on the bridges. 

There are two rides in the park, a swinging boat that only one child wanted to try out, and the 'Cows railway' which I think they all went on about ten times.  Designed more for younger children but with humour for adults, this mini train does a short track and passes many novelty cows.  The kids all wanted a go in the drivers carriage and it was a calm moment in the day. As the park was quiet, they could race round whilst the seats were being cleaned between each person and get back in the queue.

We found a tiny village full of little houses and shops they could play in, similar in a way to cowboy town at Blackgang Chine.  This is somewhere they can let their imagination run wild and there was plenty of space to run around (as there was everywhere in the park)

As our energy was fading, we searched out a coffee hut and found a beautiful park surrounded by animal statues. The playground was extensive and fun and all around were things to look at, as well as a lake with real fish that came over to us, clearly looking for food.  We could see them setting up a music area here ready for the evening entertainment and there was a big shelter with hay bales in preparation.  I would love to revisit and stay for the evening Autumn Nights session. The playground was covered in colourful lights too so the children would be entertained into the evening.

We had a fantastic visit to Robin Hill and the children all picked it as their best day out.  I would say the park is aimed mostly at the 3-8 age group so it was perfect for us.  The space was ideal for children that need to run wild and the nature of the facilities made it easy to stay Covid compliant as it was nearly all outside.  There was other things to explore that I haven't mentioned but our favourite parts were definitely exploring the variety of outdoor play zones where they could wear themselves out.  We chose a joint entry ticket for Blackgang Chine and Robin Hill which was roughly £35 per person (under 4s are free) and with each entry you can return free of charge for 7 days, something we would definitely take advantage of on a longer trip!  If you are visiting the Isle Of Wight with toddlers or primary aged children then I would recommend Robin Hill park as a fun day out.

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Days out on the Isle Of Wight - Blackgang Chine

During our recent trip to the Isle of Wight we visited Blackgang Chine, the UK's oldest theme park.  We have visited three times over the years, but it is somewhere the children remember and talk about and for us, a visit to the island isn't complete without spending a day here.  In many ways walking through the gates is like stepping back in time.  You are greeted at the entrance by a giant statue of a smuggler and a board inside informs us that he has recently had his clothes repainted for the first time since 1987.  Many of the exhibits haven't changed since my childhood.  My mum remembers bringing my brother and I here back in 1989 and it is amazing to see how much is the same.  

The park is set in Ventnor on the edge of the island and you can see where the cliff collapsed into the sea many years ago.  With a real mix of attractions, the park is aimed at under 10s with plenty to do for the little ones.  We arrived shortly after 10 and ended up leaving just before 5 when the park was shutting.  It was half term when we visited but I think the weather put a lot of people off (it rained almost all day) so it was pretty quiet and we had no problem keeping our distance from others.  We started off entering the dinosaur exhibit and the older children found the signs around the area hilarious.  Amongst the dinosaurs we could see moving and squirting water there are a few that can be climbed on which is always popular! I have photos of the boys on these from our last two visits which I need to bring out!

The land of the Dodos is worth exploring as well as a quick walk through of the crooked house and then we found the two pirate ships that can be played on, both with water guns that shoot across to the other.  As it was raining anyway there seemed no harm in letting the children soak each other.  There are lots of little cabins around the outside of the play area with different things to look at but quite a few were shut (presumably due to their size and Covid guidelines).

The bigger boys remembered Cowboy town well, including the fact you can buy those little bangers that you throw at the floor so we headed there.  There is a mini town with different buildings and shops and they love playiand exploring.  There is also a little outdoor cafe so adults can get a hot coffee! I think this is their favourite part of the park. 

We visited the underwater section, with memories rushing back for the boys (Cora wasn't quite 2 I don't think on our last visit so doesn't remember as much) and Rumpus Mansion which had a Halloween event going on.  The actors were fantastic (and all wearing masks) and it wasn't scary in the slightest.  There was a Halloween fancy dress competition but we hadn't come dressed up.  We did find the little spooky disco area though and got to meet a dragon which was exciting! 

Over the other side of the park there are two rides, one teacups style and a mini rollercoaster which children need to be 1.1m tall to go on.  I took Archie and Finn on it and they enjoyed it.  There was also a water ride which three of them loved, although the younger two needed to go in a boat with an adult (between 0.9 and 1.2m which Finn is a tiny bit shy of).  Dylan is quite cautious and prefers to watch. In the midst of the rides is an ice cream shop called iScream which looks a little modern and out of place in the surroundings but I imagine would be very welcome in different weather.  I turned down requests from the children to get ice cream and eat it in the rain and we popped back to the main cafe for a delicious cake instead. 

 

The park isn't big and there isn't anything really designed for over 8s but all four of my children love Blackgang Chine and it makes a fun day out for young families.  It is a highlight of our trip every time we visit and the children would have happily gone back for round 2 if we were on a longer trip.  With entry to both Blackgang Chine and its sister park Robin Hill, you get free return entry for 7 days.  The novelty features, like the bin that talks to you when you put rubbish in, the 'mouth of hell' that you can climb in and look out of the eyes, the musical pet shop and the distinctly old fashioned feel are quirky and charming and whilst modernising the park may increase footfall, I hope it never changes.  The park is currently closed due to Covid guidelines but we are looking forward to returning in the future.

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